Snowid, if we get into the core of the teachings, then there is no black magic for harming us. Especially, ChNN Rinpoche gives advice often through his teachings for people who are afraid of black magic. It is enough to practice Simhamukha. However, the practice of Dharma is not for repaying the black magic to others, like a kind of revenge. Since through Dharma we develop immense compassion for all sentient beings. And yes, if we keep our samayas pure, then the Guardians of the teachings will always protect us.

"My view is as vast as the sky, but my actions are finer than flour" ~ Padmasambhava ~

True story: I used to live with a guy who fancied himself a real Aleister Crowley/Black Magician type, and after a few weeks he told me, quite seriously, "that Buddhist stuff you're doing with those bells has scared all my demons away!"

The only protection one needs is a stable mind free from the extremes of grasping and aversion. Protective practices work to bring about this stability. That is tehir aim. If you do not have a protector practice then do your guru yoga. If you have trust in the capacity of the guru to protect you from harm, then they will protect you from harm.

Snowid wrote:I was not sure where to put this topicbut the section 'prayers' seem right place.

Anyway,any type of prayer is magicany magical action boils down to this to plunge into prayer.

SoI writes what I mean

I don't think that qualifies as a defintion of "magic". For example: There are prayer flags and there are commercial flags of different companies and flags adverticing various products. Both kinds are flying in the wind and functioning in some mysterious ways, because there are so many of them. We would have to call certain forms of adverticing magic or that they have a magical function. There are secret and open teachings in the adverticing and other businesses that really seem like pure magic, they express a magical functioning of the human society or the human mass consciousness. Printing a lot of mantras etc is similar to adverticing campaigns.Any type of mental volition, or a mental act as such, is not magic. This is in my opinion.

The definitions of magic add various elements, mere volition or mental act doesn't constitute magic as such. There is very little in the definition of magic in the wikipedia article, and it's polish version is non-existent. Further inquiry into the forms of magic mentioned in wikipedia tell us more what it really is.Here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic An example: you may go jogging with the intention and wish of becoming healthy and of remaining in good health. Jogging is not seen normally as a magical operation.

Aemilius wrote:The definitions of magic add various elements, mere volition or mental act doesn't constitute magic as such. There is very little in the definition of magic in the wikipedia article, and it's polish version is non-existent. Further inquiry into the forms of magic mentioned in wikipedia tell us more what it really is.Here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic An example: you may go jogging with the intention and wish of becoming healthy and of remaining in good health. Jogging is not seen normally as a magical operation.

This isn't hugely important in terms of dharma, but I'd define magic as the deliberate use of non-local action.

As many have said, faith in one's guru, meditative stability, and regular deity & guardian practice absolutely protects against all real black magic, which is anyway quite rare.

To ask the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for protection seems to be a functioning thing. Also reciting mantras, Tara, Avalokiteshvara, Vajrasattva or Medicine Buddha...And taking refuge into ethics, the five precepts, seems to be powerful.Or a great initiation into Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara).

Aemilius wrote:The definitions of magic add various elements, mere volition or mental act doesn't constitute magic as such. There is very little in the definition of magic in the wikipedia article, and it's polish version is non-existent. Further inquiry into the forms of magic mentioned in wikipedia tell us more what it really is.Here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic An example: you may go jogging with the intention and wish of becoming healthy and of remaining in good health. Jogging is not seen normally as a magical operation.

This isn't hugely important in terms of dharma, but I'd define magic as the deliberate use of non-local action.

As many have said, faith in one's guru, meditative stability, and regular deity & guardian practice absolutely protects against all real black magic, which is anyway quite rare.